Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-12-27
MISCELLANEOUS.
On the Pacific siope.

On the Pacific Stcpe.
The following interesting letter
was recently received by Thomas
Locke, ESQ.,, of this county, from a
nephew who had taken trip from
Missouri to the Pacific Slope:
JULY 4, 1887.
Dear Uncle We left home Tuesday night.
June 2Sth. on the accommodation for Mont
gomery City. aud remained there until the 11i2O
train, which we boarded for Omaha, at which
place we arrived at 1920 the next day. We
had u rough time thus far. We could not get
a sleeper. therefore had to make the best of our
seats, which were rather poor substitutes for
good beds. We remained at Council Bluits
until ESQ, paid 81 90 apiece for the privilege of
washing our hands and faces and sitting In the
Hotel for that length of time, (but we didn't
mind that, as we wished to be considered ex-
cursionists); got our tickets all fixed up, and
into our sleeper bound for Portland, Oregon.
Omaha is a right smart little town. by the way.
1t is In the edge of Nebraska, on the Missouri
river. the county seat of Douglas county. the
eastern terminus of the Union Pacific X. r..
and has population of about 5000 Il has
all the appointments of a frst-class city-hne
hotels aud business houses, good schools and
colleges, handsome churches and residences,
smelling and refining works, distiDeries and
brewerfes, large manufactures. oil works.
packing establishments. nail works. white lead
works. water works with mains laid through
out the city, electric light, gas, etc; and three
We passed through many little towns of prom
ise- before We arrived ut Fremont about so
miles II01 Omaha. II has population OF
county !; is q pretty little city with handsome
streets, avenues and parks, and does large
wholesale and retail trade with the surround
ing country. 1t has good school buildings and
churches, foundry and machine shops, Touring
mill marble works, creamery, and one daily
newspaper and four weeklies. After leaving
Fremont and Dodge county, with its fine lands
and well selected fruit orchards. we get a
glimpse of n number of promising little towns.
We pull up and draw breath at Grand Island,
154 miles from Omaha; population about 5 600.
It Is the county seat of Hall county. The land
junction Of the main line of the U. p. r. r..
the St. Joe and Grand Island r. r. aud North
Loup Branch. There is good land all around.
We cannot stop long. SO off we go. and at 8 z.
II. we reach North Platte City. with a popula-
tion of 5000. in round numbers. 1t is 800
miles from Omaha. on Platte river bottom near
the junction of the North and South forks of
Platte river. and Is the county scat Of Lincoln.
II has an opera house, skating rink, &c Here
railroad time changes to mountain. about one
hour slower than Central time. But we can't
stop long. so we take good long breath and
on again to Sidney; etc.; TO Pine Bluffs, Wy
| oming Territory: 473 miles from Omaha. with
n population of forty or fifty. all told Al $40
next morning we arrive at Cheyenne. 5l6 miles
from Omaha. aud 105 miles north of Denver.
It is the capital Of the Territory and the county
sent of Laramie county; it has a population Of
5000. Cheyenne is said TO be one of the rich
est cities in America. There can be no ques-
ton about the vim and enterprise of its cit
liens nine fine churches, nineteen teachers
employed in the common schools, attendance
of school children 1900; two skating Kinks,
opera house, courthouse, city hall, hospital,
carriage works. railroad shops, planning mill,
foundry and other manufactures are indicative
of the energy Of It's people. Il stands 6.OOO
feet above sea level. and has a good system Of
waterworks fed from Crow Creek to the North,
without which the place would be desert on
the plains; but with irrigation IL IL made TO
''bud and blossom as the rose." Cheyenne has
electric lights and plenty of gas. manufactured
TO order. Stock and mining are the main en-
terprises; it is said the cattle interests rep
resent $500 OOO. 600.
We are long distance yet from our destina-
tion, and must necessarily omit to name dozens
of nice little towns or weary yoC too much (;
SO will only stop at Laramie a moment
population $500. Next Carbon-poPuIation
100; then Rawlins-population 2SoO; Green
River City-population 500 Granger-poPu-
lation 100. from Omaha S76 miles. and the juno
tion of the Oregon Short Line with the U. r.
This is fine grazing country. PocatelIo. 1000
miles from Omaha, with population of about
500, is in Idaho, on Fort Hall Indian Reserya-
ton; il Is a division, junction and dining sta
Sa e1t i4fs mile: h from
Omaha, IN Oregon. It Is the terminus of the
Oregon Short Line, and juretiou with tie Or
egon R. and Navigation Co. From Hunting
ton we run on Pacific time. two hours slower
than Central time. We leave at $50 A. NJ,
and at twelve at night we reach Umatilla juno
ton. and on to Portland, Oregon, which Is sit
uated on the Willamette river. about twelve
miles from its junction with the Columbia river.
1t Is really q seaport to which large vessels may
come and go TO all parts of the world, so i'm
mense are the wharf accommodates Il is
in the heart of great wheat producing coun-
try hal f1TtfI
| ", and must receive and distribute imports and
exports. It Is to-day the great metropolis Of
| the Northwest Pacific. Portland has pop
ulation of over 10000; it IL the greatest rail-
| road center on the coast. does o Wholesale bus
iness Of $50 00O, coo per year, possesses all the
Metropolitan cOuvenieDces of the age. has over
twenty-five mi1li0naires. The resources OF the
city and surrounding country are so large and
varied that It transacts business largely in
excess of that of any eastern city Of the same
| size From Portland steamers saa to British
Columbia and Alaska. Puget Sound. Victoria,
San Francisco. and on al the tributary MYERS
of the Columbia. As al the roads from Eu-
| rope. Asia Africa and the Islands. once led TO
Rome, so all center at Portland. Wheat, Wool.
| hides. Iurnber and canned salmon are the enlef
articles of ocean commerce. Portland has
teicgraphic communication with all parts Of
the world. We reached Portland at 1913. July
the Sd. having Travelled from ST. Louis 70
Omaha. about 400 miles, and from Omaha 70
Portland. 1890 miles. aggregating 10 miles IN
five nights and four and one-half days: through
some of the finest country in the world for
grazing and agricultural and mineral Pnrpofes
and for scenery sublime. picturesque. eIhil-
Grating and depressing. beautiful and enter
tanning to the eye. sad and suggestive 20 The
mind. For hundreds of miles the surface IL
! sfrewn with red granite. then Iavatn every con-
cefvable shape. form and size, from cubie
foot to mountain size On the prairie by moon
shine these boIders look ike gr0teeqre anfmals-
II requires but little efOrtof the imagination
to people the whole country with antediuyian
hairy elephants, seahdrses, water nymphs.
mermaids. hobgoblins. Indians. &c We spec
ulsted considerably In OzT minds about the